Manager ‘sets his eye’ on Arsenal man – Benfica clash seen as a chance to impress

Arsenal’s clash with Benfica in the Europa League last 32 this evening is a chance for Hector Bellerín to stake a claim for Spain

That’s according to AS, who say Spain boss Luis Enrique ‘sets his eye’ on the Arsenal right-back in today’s game.

The newspaper explains that the meeting between the Gunners and the Portuguese side will see Bellerín reuniting with former Barcelona youth team teammate Grimaldo.

The pair once featured on either wing for La Masía before going their separate ways but continued to play alongside each other in Spain’s youth ranks, where they were both starters in the side that reached the final of the European Under 21’s in 2017.

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This evening sees them reunited at the Olympic Stadium in Rome, and AS state that the ‘national team is at stake’.

According to them, Bellerín is ‘recovering his best version’ at Arsenal this season, and that good form has already seen Luis Enrique call up to the national team in November when he was a start against the Netherlands.

It’s explained that Dani Carvajal’s continuous injuries ‘can definitely open doors’ to the national team for the European Championship at the summer, and Bellerín would be a prime candidate to replace him.

First, he’ll need to keep ‘impressing the coach’ – Enrique – and tonight’s game is a perfect opportunity to do so.